Homesick
by AJ and Sebastian Goin
Summary: When Prentiss visits from London, she realizes how much she misses home. (Mentions of M/G, Hotch/Beth, JJ/Will, Reid/OC). Now Complete!
1. Chapter 1

AN: Until I started reading Criminal Minds fic, I never would have arrived at the idea of this pairing on my own, however, one the idea was implanted into my brain, it made so much sense. Now, I'm a little obsessive over it. So, I'm going to try my hand and a multi chapter fic here. I'm starting a new job tomorrow and I have a lot of family stuff going on so no guarantees as to how long it will take me between chapters.

MN: I agree with AJ implicitly. I am now in love with this ship. Also, we researched the age thing. Emily's full birthdate is on her tombstone and in season 3 Rossi mentions he is 52, so that's where we came up with the 14 year age difference. Please review, even just a few words. She writes better if people are reviewing.

Disclaimer: If I owned CM, I would have done everything necessary to keep Emily Prentiss on as at least an occasional guest star.

Spoilers: In passing, probably everything through current to be safe. The story is set to be 1 year after 7x23 and 7x24 (Hit and Run).

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"Em!" Emily Prentiss turned toward the sound of her name, surprised to see the colorful Penelope Garcia waving at her.

She rushed toward her friend, her suitcase rolling dutifully behind her. "PG! What are you doing here? JJ told me no one could get away and that Will was picking me up!"

She narrowly managed to prop her suitcase back on its feet and let go of the handle before being swept into a hug. "Change in plans. Multiple changes actually."

Emily pushed back from her friend. "Why doesn't that sound like a good thing?"

Garcia waved her hand dismissively. "It's fine. Small issue with a broken water main at the LaMontagne-Jareau residence. Won't be habitable again for a week or so. _But_, we have everything all figured out."

She followed the tech analyst toward the door, where she could see Esther waiting outside for them. "Okay, so what's the plan? Because I can get a hotel, no problem."

"Unnecessary. I told you, it's all worked out. Hotch just bought that huge brownstone and Jessica hasn't moved in yet so he's putting up JJ, Will, and Henry. Jack's excited about getting to spend the time with his 'cousin'. And you, my love, will be bunking with Morgan's fine self. I made him finally get that guest room of his in order. Sheets on the bed and everything. Just don't open the door to his office."

Emily laughed as she loaded her suitcase in the car. "It's good to see you haven't changed Garcie."

She climbed in to the old vehicle with the technical analyst. "So, JJ's no good for gossip. Give me the rundown."

Garcia grinned as she pulled away from the curb. "Let's start at the top. Our fearless leader seems to be getting pretty serious with Beth. According to Jack, they have sleepovers every time she's in town."

"Good. He deserves some happiness in his life."

Garcia merged over onto the onramp for the highway. "No kidding. And Will has been bugging JJ about having another baby. But she's worried about the team. Especially with you gone; she feels like she has to be the one to push back against the guys. Which means she's been getting into it with Morgan and Rossi. Luckily Reid has always been half in love with her and Hotch seems to have an inability to get mad at her. She'd never be able to handle all four the way you did."

Emily sighed. "She's wasting her breath. I only opposed them because it was fun for me. She needs to voice her opinion and move on. And be there to cover their asses after. I'll talk to her this week, after the ceremony.

"Thanks love. Anyway, moving on. Boy Wonder seems to be doing better. Things were rough for a while after Maeve. He's been spending a lot of time with Jack and Henry. Their innocence seems to help him."

She dropped her gaze to her lap and fidgeted with her fingers. "I tried to get back. But we were in the middle of our own case and by the time I got it wrapped up it was too late."

Her friend reached over and squeezed her hands gently. "We know, Em. He knows too. Your calls meant a lot to him."

They fell silent for a moment before Garcia moved on. "Blake is settling in alright. Not afraid to butt heads when need be, but she's still figuring out how to handle Reid. And, Morgan is, well, Morgan. You know him. He's happy as long as nothing's changing except the house he's working on."

She shook her head. Morgan was always more comfortable when he knew what life was all about. "Sounds like him. When are you two finally going to turn all of that verbal foreplay into something physical?"

Emily easily dodged the backhanded swat she knew was coming her way and she laughed. "Yeah, yeah. You both want to claim it's not like that. I think you're both full of shit. But neither of you are going to listen to me, so we'll move on."

She could almost hear Garcia's eye roll. "Yes, let's move on. So, you and I talked two days ago so you know what's the what with me. Which just leaves our resident Super Agent, who, currently, is cursing the day he volunteered to hold this little party for JJ. Between her Mom and Aunt and Will's sister, the metro area is going to run out of Gentleman Jack before this is over."

Emily pulled her Interpol ID from her jacket pocket as they pulled up to the security gate, the federal building looming before them. It felt odd to be signing in at Quantico as a guest. She didn't even recognize the guards at the gate. Even the parking garage had changed, the lines bearing new paint and easy to see as Garcia pulled in to a spot.

"Go ahead and bring your bags in. You can stash them in my lair for the afternoon. "

Emily nodded and pulled her suitcase and carryon from the car and followed Garcia into the building. She had thought this visit would make her feel like she had made the right decision in going to London, but it was starting to feel like it was only going to serve to make her homesick.

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	2. Chapter 2

AN: How can a mere 4 hours of orientation turn my finely tuned mind to mush? After over 4 hours of recovery, I'm finally ready to write. Hope I can bang this out in a timely manner so I can post it tonight as I promised!

MN: She wants to write. I wants to nap. Damn her for controlling the body, she wins.

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"What do you mean we have a problem, Derek Morgan?" Emily tried not to laugh as Garcia stared down Morgan as he leaned in her doorway.

"I mean, we have a problem with the accommodations I promised you for Prentiss this morning." He looked tired to her. She'd have to corner him later and find out what the deal was.

"Define the nature of the problem. And you better talk fast, Hot Stuff." Garcia was holding her pen so tight that it looked like it might snap in her hand.

"It's not my fault, P! My Momma just called and informed me that she and Sarah and Desi are already here! Let herself into my damned house and took over! Told me they wanted to surprise me."

Garcia choked out a strangled laugh. "Oh, I'd say it worked. Surprised. But with them there, you'll be on your own couch. Where are we supposed to put Em?"

Emily shook her head. She didn't understand what the big deal was anyway. She had planned on getting a hotel from the get-go but Garcia and JJ had insisted otherwise. She opened her mouth to say as much but didn't get the chance.

"She can stay with me." The deep voice that seeped in from the hallway behind Morgan could only belong to David Rossi, and a moment after he spoke he slid into the room past the younger man.

Garcia looked momentarily relieved before shaking her head. "There is no way you have any more spare rooms in the cabin of yours. You're full to the brim with JJ and Will's families."

Rossi barked out a laugh. "You think I'm crazy enough to be staying there myself? Oh no. Until this is all over, I am firmly parked in my condo fifteen minutes away. And there, I do have extra space."

Stuck in a confined space with him wasn't exactly where Emily wanted to be, but seeing as she knew Garcia would never let her stay in a hotel, she didn't feel like she had a choice. "Thanks, but I don't want to impose."

He turned from Garcia to look at her, his distinctive half grin crooking onto his lips. "It wouldn't be an imposition. Gives me a reason to spend less time at Little Creek. So, actually, you'd be rescuing me."

"It's settled then. You can swing by and pick her up on your way out. Now, I have miracles that my babies and I must get worked. Be gone, menfolk!" Emily laughed as Garcia punctuated her words with a wave of her hand.

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Emily finished brushing out her long, damp hair and set the brush on the vanity before walking back in to the bedroom adjoining the bathroom. Normally she would have insisted on helping Rossi with dinner, but after the long international flight and fighting the time change for several hours now, the hot shower he suggested had sounded perfect.

She exchanged her towel for a pair of pajama pants and one of her well-worn FBI t-shirts. She returned the fluffy fabric to the bathroom and turned off the light before heading back downstairs.

One thing she could say for Rossi, the man had taste. This was a place he generally only visited to sleep and it was still packed with simple luxury. Extra plush carpets, expensive mattresses with Egyptian cotton sheets, soft leather chairs and sofas, and a Jacuzzi tub in the master bath. She planned on borrowing that before she had to leave again.

She found him, as expected, in the kitchen. The simmering saucepan on the stove smelled divine and her stomach rumbled audibly, attracting his attention. You're just in time. Taste this."

He raised a spoon from the pan, cupping his hand under it as he stretched it toward her. She took a couple of steps toward him and he brought it to her lips. The creamy tomato sauce tasted even better than the scent had suggested and she couldn't help the small hum of appreciation that slipped from her as she swallowed. "What _is_ that? It's amazing!"

She caught the smile on his lips as he turned back to the stove. "It's a family secret. Mama Rossi would have me taken out if I spilled the beans. Sorry. But the good news is: it's ready. There's a bottle of wine on the table if you want to pour. Let me just toss this with the capellini and asparagus and I'll be right there."

She wandered from the kitchen to the dining room. He'd already set the table and uncorked the wine. She poured them each a glass and slid into a chair. There was already a basket of warm crusty bread on the table. How he'd managed to put together a gourmet meal while she'd showered and changed was beyond her. Cooking was definitely not her thing and with the hours she worked…

She was still trying to figure out when the last time she'd had a home cooked meal was when he entered the room, a steaming bowl of pasta in his hand. "You didn't have to do all this, Dave. Thanks."

He was smiling again as he sat next to her at the head of the table, setting the bowl on the dark wood. "I know. But I also know the last time you had real food was probably that last night before you left for London."

Now it was her turn to smile, but the action felt sad.

_Rossi had insisted on hosting her going away party. Garcia had laid down a firm rule for the evening that no one was allowed to be sad, and they hadn't. They'd all pitched in to make dinner, even Jack and Henry. Then they had eaten, laughed over glasses of wine, and chatted for hours. It wasn't until Reid had yawned that anyone had realized it was nearly 2am._

_JJ and Will had exited first, Will carrying their son to the car while she hugged JJ tightly. Neither of them had cried, both only managing the feat because the other had. Then Hotch and Beth had gone. Thankfully, that goodbye wasn't as emotional. Probably because they both shoved their feelings into matching little boxes before they said a word._

_Morgan, Garcia, and Reid had left together. And that had been when she'd lost it. Reid had bailed when he started tearing up after hugging her, but Morgan had to practically drag Garcia away. As for herself, she'd closed the door behind them before moving from tears to full-fledged sobs._

_Rossi had been the pinnacle of understanding in that moment. Instead of trying to calm her so he could shoo her from his home, he had comforted her. His hand had grasped her gently and led her back to the couch, sitting then pulling her down in his lap. And then, he'd cradled her while she cried, saying nothing._

_When she'd exhausted her supply of tears he'd continued to hold her until she was ready. He'd walked her to the door and pulled her into a tight hug. "__Buon viaggio."_

_She'd simply nodded at his wish for her to travel safely, afraid that if she'd spoken she would lose control again. She leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek before mumbling her thanks and turning to leave._

_In reality, that had been the hardest goodbye for her. She knew she would hear from the others often, even Hotch. He wouldn't be able to resist his brotherly urge to check up on her. But she and Rossi never had communicated much outside the confines of the team. And it was that thought that made her pull over on the road halfway home to cry again._

She'd been right. While the others had called, texted, and Skyped with her, she and Rossi had exchanged short, casual emails. Nothing extremely personal had ever been discussed. And that in itself was odd to her. He was the one person who knew more about her than any other, yet they discussed things like the weather and work.

"Emily?"

His voice made her realize that she'd been completely lost in thought, so much so that she hadn't noticed him fill her plate with food. "Sorry. I was thinking. I'm pretty sure you're right."

He chuckled as he raised his wineglass. "I usually am."

With a smile, she raised hers to tap his. "That you are." She took a sip of the wine, closing her eyes for a moment to revel in the taste before setting the glass down and reaching for her fork. "Now, about this pasta…"

She knew he was watching her as she scooped up a bite, taking care to get both a piece of chicken and asparagus on her fork. She put the food into her mouth and groaned at the flavor. She chewed slowly, savoring the bite. When she finally swallowed, she glanced back over at Rossi. He was staring at her oddly. A look she had caught on his face from time to time over the years but it never lasted long enough for her to figure out, and tonight was no exception.

"I take it you approve?" He took a bite of his own as she chewed a second bite.

"This is almost enough to make a girl reconsider moving four thousand miles away."

He paused, fork halfway to his mouth and hitched one eyebrow upward. "Almost?"

She grinned at him. "Add the bread and it's definitely worth pondering." She crunched into the ciabatta as he laughed.

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AN: There, as promised, finished tonight. Now it's time for me to get to sleep. Will try to update again tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: It's been raining for over 24 hours straight now. I take public transportation to work. I was not a happy camper today. My jeans were so wet to the knee that I left a puddle on the floor under my chair in the training room. Luckily, a coworker took pity on me and drove me home, but I was still soggy from the trek in. And I was cold. So today, the nap won. Because of that and my responsibilities around the house, I'm not exactly sure that I'll get this up tonight.

MN: Yeah, I'm pretty sure she's getting this up tonight. Cause I have ideas. And I need to get them out before I forget them.

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Emily closed her laptop with a sigh and sunk back into the soft leather of the armchair she was sitting in. Here she was on her first vacation in over a year and she'd gotten sucked in by work.

But, part of what had earned her the job leading the London office was her ability to profile terrorists on a minimum of information, and that was the reason for the video chat she'd just finished. Another office had needed a consult and it couldn't wait. At least she'd managed to finish dinner first.

She hoped this would be her only interruption for the week. She had only really needed to come into town for a few days, but the idea of some extra time to spend with the team had been tempting, so when Clyde had offered her 10 days off, she'd taken it readily. She'd scheduled herself a day to travel each way and an extra day off when she got back to London to readjust and she would still have seven full days with the friends she desperately missed.

The sound of something being set on the table beside her made her open her eyes. Rossi had set a steaming mug down. She was about to protest that it was too late for coffee when the delicate smell of the herbal tea hit her nose. She watched as he sat down opposite her and raised an eyebrow at him. "Since when do you drink tea?"

He leaned back in his own chair and grinned. "I don't. But my housekeeper insists on keeping it in the kitchen anyway. She's adamant that one of these days I will give up my caffeine addiction and choose to relax."

She raised the mug, surrounding the warmth with her hands. "She's way off the mark on that one, isn't she?"

He chuckled lightly, then became more serious and nodded at her laptop. "Everything okay at the office?"

She sighed and took a sip of the fragrant liquid before answering. "Nothing going on in London, but I'm sure you saw the news. That bombing in Luxembourg. Locals needed help with a profile of the bombers, and the Interpol team handling the case doesn't have a counter-terrorism specialist right now."

He nodded in understanding but couldn't respond as his phone started ringing. He looked at the display and sighed heavily before answering it. "Hello?... Actually, I won't be by at all tonight…No; Jennifer was supposed to call you. There was another change in plans and I now have a houseguest in the city as well…Yes, Emily Prentiss…You too."

He punched the disconnect button and dropped the phone back on the table next to him. Emily fought back a giggle at the look of exasperation on his face. "Something wrong?"

His head fell back against the chair. "JJ's mother is driving me nuts. The woman is crazy. And she seems to be intent on being the fourth Mrs. Rossi." He visibly shuddered.

Emily couldn't hold it anymore and burst out in laughter. "Oh come on! You, the legendary David Rossi, can't handle one infatuated woman? Since when?"

He lifted his head to glare at her. "First of all, those rumors are greatly exaggerated. And second, I usually don't care if 'handling' a woman pisses her off. This time I'm trying to be kind for JJ's sake. But the next time she and Will want a huge anniversary party, you can count me out. I will be as far away from Sandy Jareau as I can get!"

She struggled to calm her chuckling. "It's a nice thing you're doing for them. They didn't get to have the whole big wedding thing. I think a vow renewal celebration is a great idea. I just think you're crazy for volunteering to host. Again. You are going to have to spend the entirety of tomorrow on the same property as that woman, you know."

He grinned at her, the glint in his eyes warning her she wasn't going to like his response. "Yes, but so do you. And I have no problem at all throwing you to the wolf. She thinks you should marry Morgan, remember?"

Emily blanched at the thought. She did indeed remember her conversation with the older woman at JJ's wedding.

"_I saw you dancing with Agent Morgan. You two would make a fantastic pair."_

_Emily had spun toward the voice in surprise. "Mrs. Jareau! With all due respect, you are completely off the mark."_

_The older woman had waived her hand dismissively. "Please, call me Sandy. And I don't think so. He looks at you in a kind of a sad way."_

_Emily had shifted, uncomfortable with the questioning. "That doesn't have anything to do with attraction. There's things going on in my personal life. He worries. He's like an overprotective brother."_

_Sandy had stared her down a moment. "Well, just because it's nothing now, doesn't mean it couldn't be. I know I would sure like to get my hands on that David Rossi. A woman should have a man to come home to, Emily."_

It had been at that moment that Reid had come looking for her to dance and rescued her. "She's not still on about that is she?"

He nodded. "Oh yes. She started scheming as soon as she heard you were coming."

Emily groaned out loud. "We have to figure out a way to deter her. You should casually mention that I've been seeing someone in London or something."

He shook his head, the evil glint sparkling in his eye again. "Sorry. If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me."

She glared at him hard for several minutes, but he didn't relent. He did, however, choose to speak first. "You should get to bed. It's been, what, a twenty hour day for you by now? And tomorrow won't be much better."

She nodded and drained her tea. "Yeah, I'm exhausted." She moved to take the mug to the kitchen, but he stood and stepped in front of her, taking the ceramic from her hands.

"I've got this. Go get some rest."

She smiled at him. This was the David Rossi she missed the most. The tender, caring one he let very few people see. "Thanks. Goodnight Dave."

"Buonanotte. Sleep well." He turned and walked to the kitchen.

She allowed herself just a moment to stare after him before turning and walking toward the stairs.

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"Emily, wake up!"

She sat up with a start, nearly knocking heads with the man gently shaking her shoulders and raising her hands in defense.

"It's okay, it's me."

As she became aware of her surroundings, she realized her cheeks were soaked with tears and she was sweating. She dropped back onto the pillow. "Shit."

He moved to sit next to her, grasping her hand in his. He said nothing, waiting for her to get herself under control.

"I'm sorry I woke you up Dave."

"I wasn't asleep." Even in the low light streaming in from the hall she could see him crook his eyebrow. "How bad are they?"

She sighed and looked away from him. He was one hell of a profiler. She wasn't going to be able to lie. "Bad. Worse when I'm exhausted or emotional. Probably four nights a week."

His hand tightened around hers. "You didn't tell me. Did you tell anyone? You know, talking it out helps."

She shook her head, still refusing to meet his eyes. "I'm not really that close to anyone in London. And as for you guys, you have enough of your own demons to deal with. You don't need international ones too."

"You can talk to me about anything, demons or not. Anytime. But, not tonight. You should try to get back to sleep."

This time she shook her head more forcefully, sitting back up. "No. It'll just start all over again."

Gently he placed a hand on her shoulder and pushed her back down on the bed. "I'm not going anywhere. Sleep."

As much as she knew she should object, she didn't want to. She was so tired and, with him there, she knew she felt safe enough to get some peaceful rest. And for some strange reason, he was the one person she really felt comfortable being vulnerable in front of. "Okay." She scooted over in the bed.

He stood and closed the door against the light in the hall then returned to the bed and stretched out beside her on his back. He took care to leave space between them, close enough that she could hear him breathing in the quiet room, but far enough that they weren't going to touch accidently. She knew this was his way of being respectful, but that wasn't what she wanted.

She rolled onto her side and tucked herself next to him, her cheek on his shoulder and hand on the soft t-shirt covering his chest. He brought his arm down, his hand resting softly on her back. She vaguely registered his free hand covering hers on his chest before she slipped back to sleep.

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AN: Fluff. And Fluff. And Fluff. You KNOW this was Sebastian. The next chapter will probably be longer and therefore may take me a few days to write. Hope the wait is worth it for you! Oh, and about 29 hours later, the rain finally seems to have stopped! Now just to deal with several days of the resulting flooding in the river valley I live in.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Freaking Bastard and his freaking naps. It's 3:30 am. I have to be up at 6 for work. And I'm still awake. Going to start putting some ideas down. Lord willing, I will get off work, go run errands, get dinner, come home, and go promptly to bed. There will be lots of caffeine tomorrow. LOTS.

MN: She is not happy with me, is she? She wanted the nap too; I was just the bad influence that convinced her it was a good idea.

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The door to the study clicked closed softly and Emily turned toward it. He had his back pressed against the door and he let out a heavy sigh. "I am going to hell just for what I'm _thinking_ of doing to that woman."

She narrowed her eyes at him and spoke softly. "Be quiet! This is the best hiding place I've found all day and if you blow my cover, I will throw you to the wolf to save myself."

"Aren't you the loyal one, Prentiss?" He crossed the room, plopping himself into his desk chair. He moved to open the bottom drawer and she shook her head.

"Don't bother, I already tried that. Apparently she's gathered all of your stash. Afraid the kids will get into it." She perched herself on the edge of his desk beside him, legs swinging gently.

It was only 3pm and they'd both spent most of the last 5 hours avoiding Sandy Jareau like the plague. Early in the day they'd taken to rescuing one another by sending innocent people into the fray. The florist had gotten an earful of exactly what JJ's mother thought Emily should be doing with Morgan, and the caterer had been unlucky enough to intercept a butt pinch aimed at Rossi. Word had spread and now there wasn't a hired hand who would go near the woman.

"Damn woman is dangerously close to not seeing her grandson grow up. She just tried to get me to go upstairs with her for a 'nap'. And she was explicit about what she meant by that!"

His face looked truly pained and Emily sighed. "I'm going to go find your scotch and use it to try to convince her into an actual nap so we can get some work done. I'll come find you when it's safe."

"Thank you." His voice was genuine and he smiled at her as she slid from his desk.

She moved to the door but stopped to look back at him. "We're even for last night, Rossi."

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As she looked around, Emily smiled. The ceremony had gone off seamlessly, as had dinner. The only hiccup had, once again, been Sandy. Somehow she'd managed to rearrange the seating chart at the last moment, splitting the team. She, Morgan, Hotch, Beth, and Jack had been at one table with Strauss and two of JJ's friends. Reid, Garcia, and Rossi had gotten stuck with JJ's mother, aunt, uncle, and cousins. And poor Blake, she had ended up at a table full of divorced men.

Now, with dinner concluded, the kids had all been herded inside to watch movies, play games, and, hopefully, fall asleep. The catering staff was busy moving tables and chairs, clearing the dance floor while the guests stood around, generally talking. When they'd gotten up, Morgan had gone in search of Garcia, Hotch to take Jack inside, and Beth to rescue Blake. She could see Reid in the living room through the glass patio doors, performing magic tricks for a small group of enthralled children. JJ was making her way around the crowd, thanking her guests for coming.

That just left Rossi unaccounted for. Sandy was, however, visible, so she wasn't terribly concerned about him. A glass of wine suddenly appeared in her line of sight and she smiled at the man holding it. "I'm assuming that means the bar is officially open?"

He smiled at her as she took the glass and sipped its contents. "Finally, yes." He took a sip of his own drink before tilting the glass at her. "I didn't have a chance to tell you earlier, you look amazing. Been shopping in Paris?"

She fought the blush she felt heating her neck and ears. "Thanks, and sort of. French boutique in London. You don't clean up too bad yourself."

"Someone has got to keep that woman away from me!" Morgan pushed himself between them, a look of desperation on his face.

"Don't look at us. We're relieved she has someone else to focus on for a while." Rossi grinned as he took a long sip of his scotch.

Morgan shot him a glare then looked back at Emily. "Please, Em. I'm begging you. Do something!"

She shook her head and shrugged. "Not much help I can give you. She's tormenting me too, remember? The only way to save us both is for one of us to manage to convince her that we're off the market."

Morgan's eyes lit up. "Now we're talking." He spun around and scanned the crowd a moment before pushing through it. "Baby Girl!"

Rossi's low chuckle was infectious. "Oh, you're good. Two birds with one stone?"

Emily drained her wine glass and smiled innocently. "Whatever are you talking about? Just because getting Morgan to save my ass may just result in he and Garcia finally hooking up doesn't mean I planned it."

They chuckled together for a moment before the music started. Couples drifted onto the dance floor and Rossi took her glass, setting it and his on the table next to her clutch. "Come on." He took her hand and led her to the floor, pulling her into his arms. "So, now that you've solved your little problem, do you have any ideas for mine?"

She allowed herself to relax against his touch as he steered them around in time to the music. "You could always pretend to be involved with Blake."

He rolled her eyes. "And make it a game for her? We're going to have to do better than that."

They danced quietly through the remainder of the song, both thinking. Unfortunately, neither had managed to come up with an idea before they left the dance floor. As they returned to the table where they'd set their empty glasses, Emily retrieved her clutch, pulling her cell phone out. She checked the screen and was relieved that she still had no calls, texts, or emails.

"If you've got to be chained to that thing, let me hang on to it for you. I can go stash your bag inside. That way you don't have to keep track of it." When she nodded, the plucked both phone and clutch from her hands, dropping the former in his pocket. "Want to go find us refills while I run this in to my study?"

"Sure." They parted and she crossed the yard to the patio where the bar was positioned. She waited in the short line, her mind still on Rossi's predicament.

"Oh there you are, Emily!"

She fought a groan as she turned to smile at the older woman. "Sandy! Hi. Enjoying yourself?"

"I am. But, dear, why didn't you tell me that Agent Morgan and Ms. Garcia are an item? I feel foolish."

Emily bit back a laugh and feigned innocence. "Oh? Are they? With all the craziness yesterday I hadn't gotten the chance to catch up with everyone. Good for them!"

"Yes, yes. But what to do about you?"

Emily chose not to answer, ordering her drinks instead. Once she'd received the glasses, she turned to move back to the table she'd separated from Rossi at. Unfortunately, the other woman collected her own drink quickly and followed. "I mean, surely, there must be someone you've got your eye on. In London perhaps?"

"Yes, Emily, is there someone in London?" She spun to face him as he reached to take his glass, glaring at him for all she was worth.

Before she could give him a piece of her mind, her phone rang in his pocket. He quickly fished it out and handed it to her. She glanced at the display. "Clyde." She'd been answering the call as she issued the explanation.

She set her wine glass on the table and moved away, trying to find a quieter space. "Hello?"

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When she returned to the table, Rossi handed her the glass of wine and took her phone. Unfortunately for Emily, Sandy was still there as well, standing dangerously close to him. "So, who's Clyde? Mr. London, perhaps?"

"He's her boss. And kind of an ass." Rossi's voice sounded gruff, almost hostile.

She shot him a glare. "An ass, maybe, but one who has just personally guaranteed that my vacation won't be disturbed again. He's on his way to London to take over for me for the week." She looked back to Sandy. "And he's definitely not 'Mr. London', except maybe in his dreams."

"Well why not dear? I mean, if he's interested. Unless there's someone else?"

It was Rossi who snapped. "There is no 'Mr. London'. She's a complicated woman with an insane job and a tough shell to crack. Most men don't have the stones for it and Clyde Easter is definitely not up to the task."

As shock spread on the older woman's face, Emily got an idea. She just hoped that he would understand what she was doing. She leaned into him and lowered her voice, giving it the notion of being conspiratorial. "Besides, who needs a 'Mr. London' when I have 'Mr. Quantico' right here?"

Shock turned to bewilderment as the woman stuttered. "You…and he…you're…"

Emily was relieved as Rossi's arm came around her waist. "Guess the cat's out of the bag. But you'll understand if we ask you to keep this under wraps?"

Sandy's face had gone noticeably pale. "Yes, yes. Of course. Now, if you'll excuse me…" She wandered off without waiting for a response.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Emily let loose the laughter welling inside of her. Rossi quickly joined her. "That was brilliant!"

She pressed against his side as she giggled. "Wasn't it? Did you see her face? Priceless."

"Wish I'd gotten a picture. Thank you for saving me."

She slipped out of his embrace as she got her giggles under control. "Just remember, now, you owe me."

He threw back the rest of his drink. "Anything you want. Name it."

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AN: So that wasn't as long as I was expecting because it was longer than I expected. I didn't mean to have the party be so in depth but it just happened, so what was going to be the second part of this chapter will now be the next chapter. And for the record, it's now 5:15am. I guess I'm not sleeping at all.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Sorry it's been so long since we've updated. The other day when I got off work I had to run out to get some shirts for work, caught an early dinner with Mom, came home, and promptly passed out. We're talking 13 straight hours dead to the world. I even forgot to feed the cats and I know they wouldn't have taken that quietly which means I was _out_. Anyway, hopefully this chapter makes up for it!

MN: I want to state for the record that she could have written this last night. However, she watched like 4 or 5 episodes of Criminal Minds (she's currently watching through in order from Season 1) and then you tubed behind the scenes videos until she had to sleep. So, I will make her finish this today. Told her she can't go to dinner with her family (whole deal: mom, both brothers, sis-in-law, and nephew) unless it's done and posted. *cracks whip*

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Emily suddenly became aware that she was moving and struggled back into consciousness. She remembered leaving Little Creek with Rossi behind the wheel of his SUV, but she must have fallen asleep. Now she was fairly sure he was carrying her, and that thought brought her fully awake.

"Put me down, Dave."

He looked down at her, studying her for a moment before lowering her to her bare feet on the cool concrete. They were on the walk between the driveway and his condo and her shoes were dangling from his fingers. "You looked like you were so at peace. I didn't want to wake you."

She followed him as he continued up the walk and unlocked his front door, leading her in. She dropped her clutch on the sideboard as he deposited her shoes on the floor and slid off his own. She decided to take his answer at face value. It felt good to let someone else take care of her for a change, especially him.

"So, what's the plan for tomorrow?" She turned and headed toward the stairs, his steps falling in behind her.

"Nothing. JJ and Will are spending time with their families. Hotch and Jack are spending the day with Beth before she heads home. Morgan and Garcia are taking his family around town. And Reid and Blake are both behind on paperwork. Strauss said they can't take time off this week unless it's in. So tomorrow it's just us. I figured we could sleep in, go to brunch, maybe do some grocery shopping if you want to eat the rest of the week. Generally just relax. Unless you had something else in mind?" They had reached the top of the stairs and he paused with her outside of the door to her room.

She turned to face him, leaning against the door frame. "Sounds good to me. Especially the sleeping in part. I don't know when I did that last."

"You need to take care of yourself, Emily."

She smiled and gave a chuckle. "Look who's talking." She accented her words with a light poke to his chest. "Goodnight."

She caught the roll of his eyes as she turned to step through the door. "Night."

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As she sat on the edge of the bed, Emily sighed. She'd replaced her dress with pajamas, scrubbed the makeup from her face, and brushed her hair, all while thinking about her host. The last day spent with him hadn't been what she'd expected.

Before this trip, she could have counted the number of times they had addressed one another by first name on her fingers. But now, they seemed to be using them comfortably, and she had to admit, her name in his voice sounded as good as his felt on her lips.

She shook her head and sighed again. She did not need to be thinking about Rossi like that. He was fourteen years her senior, lived four thousand miles from where she currently did, was a perpetual ladies man, and had never shown the slightest interest in her beyond being her teammate, mentor, and friend.

A knock at the door made her jump slightly and she chided herself mentally for being on edge from her thoughts. "Come in."

He opened the door and stepped in. He had changed as well, wearing sweatpants and a Marine Corps t-shirt. In his outstretched hand was her cellphone. "Still had this in my pocket. Thought you might like it back."

She took it from his grasp and laid it on the nightstand. "Thanks. As much as I really hope Clyde comes through for me, I should still probably be mostly available."

It surprised her when he sat down next to her on the bed instead of retreating to his own room. "I'm sorry for calling him an ass earlier. It wasn't my place."

"You aren't wrong. He can be more than a bit abrasive. But I guess I'm curious as to why _you_ think that."

Rossi shrugged. "He claims to be your friend. To care about you. And he's your boss. But he doesn't take care of you. He's a profiler and he knows you. No way he didn't figure out you were having trouble sleeping. But he didn't make you talk to him."

Emily let loose her third sigh in as many minutes. "It's just not how we work. Clyde keeps everyone at arm's length and his friends even further. He doesn't like to talk things out so he expects everyone else to be the same way."

He shifted his body so he was looking at her. "Well, if you can't talk to him, please, promise me you'll talk to someone. I'm not saying it has to be me, but I am saying that I'll listen. The rest of us, we have each other every day. But you're still part of this family too, Emily. You still have us. You still have me."

Shaking her head, she focused intently on her toes. She couldn't look at him. Couldn't let him see the hurt she knew was showing in her eyes. "Do I? Before I left, you were the one who I felt like I could talk things out with. But since I've been gone…you don't ask. When I told you my team lost a member to the stress of the job, you skittered around it and asked me about the weather."

This time it was him that sighed. "I was trying not to push. You have this tendency to close up on yourself when I do. And with you so far away, I knew if you shut me down that I wouldn't be able to stop it. And, I'm a selfish bastard. I didn't want to risk losing the little bit of contact we had because I tried to make you talk."

She knew her voice had dropped in volume. She only hoped it didn't sound as vulnerable as it felt. "I didn't want to lose it either. You might think I was shutting you out, but you were really my lifeline. Getting to read about Morgan and Reid's antics and hearing about the cases you guys were working made me feel like I was still here, at least a little bit."

His hand slipped over and captured hers, the contact soothing her soul. It was several long minutes before he spoke again. "Why'd you go?"

It was the one question no one but Morgan had asked before she left. And only she had asked herself since. "I felt lost. For seven years everything had been about protecting Declan. Then I was gone and when I came home, things hadn't changed. But I had. I wasn't the same person I had been before. I didn't know who I was."

"You're wrong." The conviction of his statement made him turn to look at him and their eyes locked. "You were still Emily Prentiss. You were our friend. You were our confidant. You were someone we trusted to have our backs and tell us the truth. You were a protector, always looking out for everyone else before yourself. You were still the person we loved. The only difference is that _you_ lost sight of that."

She stared at him for a long moment then shifted her gaze back to her feet as tears filled her eyes. "I'm sorry."

His hand tightened around hers. "Don't be sorry. Just stop judging yourself. Everyone else loves you for who you are. You need to too."

They sat in silence for what felt like both seconds and an eternity to her. In over a year of reflection and internal debate she hadn't been able to figure out what had been wrong with her. And he'd stated it like it was something that had been obvious from the start. Was she really that bad at profiling herself?

She wasn't sure at what point she had stopped crying, only that by the time she was done mulling over his words the tears had completely dried on her cheeks. Once again, it was he that broke the silence.

"You should get some sleep." He moved to stand.

She gripped his hand tightly and he looked at her. "Stay? Please?"

He stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Sure. I'll be right back."

She released his hand and he exited the room. She could hear him move down the hall to his room then back, flipping light switches as he went. By the time he returned, she had climbed under the covers, leaving the edge turned down so he could follow.

When he entered the room, he flipped the switch, extinguishing the overhead light, leaving just the soft glow from the bedside lamp. He slid into the bed beside her, laying on his side to look at her. "I'm sorry I dumped all of that on you the way I did, but you needed to hear it."

She turned from her back to her side, unintentionally bringing her closer to him, and met his eyes. "Yes, I did. Thank you. None of the others would have had the guts to say it without trying to sugar coat it. I appreciate your honesty."

"I'm not as altruistic as you think." He reached across the few inches separating them to tuck her hair behind her ear then dropped his hand between them. "I've missed you, you know?"

Emily smiled. "There you go again. The hard, tough David Rossi showing the weaknesses in his armor." She moved her hand to cup his cheek. "And I've missed you too."

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As she slid slowly back into awareness, Emily realized two things. First, it was still dark, the only illumination coming from the moonlight streaming through the window. Second, he was watching her. She hadn't had to open her eyes to know the latter. She could feel it. Looking at him had only confirmed it. "Why aren't you asleep?"

"What makes you think that you moving didn't wake me up?" His tone was teasing, but the look on his face was serious.

"You haven't been to sleep yet. Why?" When he shook his head, she stiffened the tone of her voice. "You made me talk, Dave. Your turn."

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, almost sighing. "It's not the job. Hotch and I hash that out plenty. It's rare that the work I do has any effect on my sleep when I'm not on a case. So just leave it, okay?"

She shook her head and reached out to take his hand, sliding into his personal space, their bodies nearly touching from face to foot. "No. Even if it's not the job, you need to talk about it. You've been there for me when it wasn't the job. This time, let _me _be _your_ friend."

He stared at her hard for a moment, only speaking again when it became obvious she wasn't going to relent. "You _really_ want to know what keeps me awake at night?"

Her nod was probably barely perceptible in the near darkness. "Yes."

"Fine. What keeps me up, what steals my sleep is _you_, Emily. I lie awake thinking about _you_. Missing _you_. _Wanting_ you."

The final word had barely left his mouth when he shifted across the small gap between them. And in that moment, David Rossi kissed her.

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AN: I know, I'm horribly mean to leave it just there, but I had to stop somewhere or this chapter would be 5000 words! Plus I need to get it reviewed and posted, get in the shower, start my laundry so I have work uniforms clean, and make myself look human so I can go to dinner with my family. I work tomorrow, but I'm off Tuesday so the next chappy will be up late tomorrow night or sometime Tuesday. But first, I need you guys to vote.

IMPORTANT: I'm thinking this ficcie can exist as a nice Rated T piece of art. Sebby says he wants to push the boundaries of an M rating. Opinions? There is also a third option. I can write the next chapter in two versions, posting the T one here and the smutty one over on The Writers Coffee Shop, which allows ratings all the way to NC-17 and provide a link to it. The catch is that to read an NC-17 fic over there, you do have to register on the site (registration is free and fast and I have yet to get any spam from them). So, please PM or comment with your opinion so we can write what you want!


	6. Chapter 6

AN: We decided on something in the realm of M, so the story rating has been updated to reflect that. Also, I doubt I will get another chapter done until Thursday or Friday. I have too much to get done tomorrow after work. Now, enjoy some smutty goodness!

MN: I win again! And when I win, you all win. Also, don't give AJ too much of the credit for this chapter. She writes smut about as well as I write drama (that being crappily)!

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His kiss was tender, full of emotion. After an initial moment of shock, Emily responded, returning the kiss. She released his hand and slid hers up his arm and across his shoulder to settle behind his neck. With her new leverage, she pulled his mouth more firmly against hers, deepening their kiss as his hand found its way to settle on her hip.

His fingers tightened on the soft fabric of her pants and he dragged her forward, bringing their bodies into full contact. The feel of him against her sent a warm sensation straight to her core and she moaned against his lips. He took advantage of the parting of her lips to slip his tongue into her mouth.

Their mouths were in constant motion, tongues tangling and untangling. His taste was unique and intoxicating to her. Beyond the mint of his toothpaste there was something distinctly Rossi. She couldn't get enough.

Her lungs burned for air but she ignored them. She couldn't bring herself to pull away from him. She was saved from having to force herself back when he shifted his lips, trailing along her jaw. She compensated for the loss of contact by sliding her hand down his back.

His fingers had slipped up under the edge of her t-shirt and she sucked in a sharp breath when they brushed over the bare skin at her waist. The way she had shifted exposed her neck to him and he ran his mouth down the sensitive skin, kissing, licking, sucking.

She suddenly needed more contact with him and freed the hand she'd still had under her pillow to grasp at the hem of his shirt between them while she slid her other hand under the fabric at his back. She slid the soft cotton up as far as she could while they were lying down.

She sat up, breaking his contact with the hollow of her throat and he mirrored the move, allowing her to pull his shirt from his body. She swept her eyes over the newly exposed skin, intensifying her desire for him. Their eyes locked as she ran her fingers through the dark hair on his chest. Suddenly, he grasped her wrist, stopping her movements.

"Emily, if you want to stop this, it has to be now."

She pulled her wrist from his grasp and moved her hands to the bottom of her own shirt. In one move she pulled it over her head and tossed it indiscriminately from the bed. She watched his face as his gaze swept over her body. Twice he paused in his scrutiny on the left side of body and she knew he was studying the scars left there by Ian Doyle.

He brought a hand to her abdomen and delicately traced the edge of scar that had been left after the surgery on her stab wound. She wrapped both of her hands around his arm and pulled it upward until his palm covered her breast.

"I'm not going to break, Dave."

Her words seemed to bring him out of his own head and suddenly she was once again laid back against the pillows, his lips on her, his hand massaging her chest. Her hands explored his exposed torso, fingernails tracing the muscles of his back before moving to run through the hair on his chest.

He gently pinched her nipple and she groaned, her nails digging into his back. She could feel him harden where he was pressed against her thigh and she repeated the action, digging her nails in again.

This time, it was he who groaned. He wretched his mouth from hers and kissed frantically down her neck to her chest before latching his lips around one pert nipple.

The pleasure made her entire body tighten and she shoved her fingers into his hair, desperate for something to keep her grounded. She arched up into his mouth and he rewarded her by flicking his tongue against the hardened bud before sliding his mouth to the other breast to give it the same attention.

Emily was becoming impatient and dragged him back up her body until their mouths reconnected. She moved one hand down to cup his hard length through his sweatpants. The resulting moan of her name into her mouth just further fueled her urgency and she moved both hands to his hips, pushing the material down as much as she could.

His own desire seemed to match hers and he pulled away from her long enough to shed his pants and pull hers down over her hips. He laid himself along her side as he resumed the kiss, giving his hand full access to her body. His fingers traced from her throat down, over her breasts and stomach, brushing the sensitive skin at her hip before moving down to her thigh.

Her skin felt like it was on fire in the wake of his touch and she clutched at him, trying to bring his body back over hers. He seemed intent on taking his time, however, as he slowly teased her inner thigh with his fingers. After what felt like an eternity, he finally slid a single finger into the warm wetness of her slit.

"Oh, God. You are _so_ wet, Emily." The words were groaned against her lips as he moved his finger to gently caress her clit.

She moved one hand from where she was tugging at his side down to grasp him. She slid her hand slowly down his shaft then squeezed gently. "_You _are doing that to me, Dave."

She moved her lips to his collar bone, nipping at the sensitive flesh. He responded with a low growl and slid his finger inside of her, causing her to arch up into his hand. He stroked his finger in and out of her several times before sliding it out and moving it to circle her clit.

He hand moved mindlessly up and down his length as her world became centered upon what he was doing between her thighs. It had been a long time since any man had touched her and she could feel herself teetering on the edge of orgasm.

He backed his face away from hers and stared hard into her eyes. "Let go, Emily. Come for me."

His words were all the encouragement she needed and she gave herself over to the wave of pleasure. She only vaguely registered his movement as she tried to calm her breathing in the wake of release, until he settled himself between her legs, pressing his tip against her sensitive flesh.

Her eyes flew open to meet his. He was hesitating, unsure. She tilted her hips and wrapped her legs around him.

That was all the encouragement he seemed to need and he slowly pushed into her. He was larger than she would have guessed before she saw him and he filled her completely. When he was fully inside of her he stopped, letting her adjust to his size as he stared at her.

She wriggled against him and he took the hint, beginning a slow pivot in and out of her. She grabbed the back of her neck and dragged his face back down until their mouths once again connected.

His pace started out slow and steady. She matched him thrust for thrust, grinding herself against him to enhance her pleasure. As she could feel herself once again building toward release, his strokes quickened and became less regular.

He stroked into her hard and she could feel him spasm inside of her. The feeling sent her over the edge and they called one another's names as they peaked together.

As she came down from the sensory high she realized he was peppering her face with light kisses. As her breathing evened out she opened her eyes to look at him. "Wow."

A smile crooked onto his lips. "That's an understatement." He shifted his hips, withdrawing from her and shifting to lie at her side. His hand traced idly over her skin, but his eyes held hers.

She leaned into him and kissed him gently then laid her head on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight against his chest as she fell asleep.

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Emily fought against waking. She was far too warm and comfortable. Images from the previous night filtered into her mind and she smiled. The warmth she was feeling was courtesy of being nestled against a naked David Rossi.

Much as when she had drifted off, his arms were around her, holding her against him. Her face was nestled in the crook of his neck, head resting on his shoulder. With the way their legs were tangled together, she couldn't have moved if she'd wanted to.

She felt him stir and her smile faded. She wasn't sure she was ready to talk about what had happened. She just wanted to enjoy it.

He pulled just his face away from her, a gentle smile on his lips. "Good morning."

Her voice sounded quiet even to her. "Hi."

He slowly untangled his legs from her and she moved back slightly, wincing at the tenderness in her muscles. His smile faded as he relaxed his arms. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

The tenderness in his voice warmed her heart and she shook her head. "No. I'm just a little sore. It's been a while."

He tucked a strand of ear behind her hair. "I'm sorry, I should have been gentler."

She pressed her face against his hand. "I'm fine, Dave. Nothing a hot shower won't fix."

He leaned over and brushed a kiss against her lips. "Why don't you take one then? I'll go get coffee started." He slid out of bed and retrieved his pants before exiting the room.

Emily watched him go before tossing the blanket back and sitting up. She moved carefully as she got up and walked to the adjoining bathroom. She cranked the water up as hot as she could handle it before stepping into the spray, her mind racing.

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She had been right. The shower took most of the pain from her body. It had done nothing, however, to settle her mind. She was no closer to figuring out what was going on between her and Rossi than she had been when she'd woken.

She slid her cellphone into one pocket of her jeans and her passport and credit card into another then took a deep breath and exited the bedroom. As expected, she found Rossi in the kitchen, sipping a mug of coffee. There was a second mug sitting empty on the counter beside him.

As she entered the room he drained his cup and placed it in the sink. "Coffee's ready. I'm going to go take a shower. Then we can go grab brunch and decide what we want to do for the day."

He walked past her to exit the room then turned back, following her to where she now stood by the counter. He spun her to face him and kissed her deeply.

By the time she'd recovered from the shock of his action, he'd already broken the kiss and turned away, striding out of the room. She stood staring after him for a long moment before turning to pour her coffee.

She was finishing her second cup of the rich brew when her cellphone rang. She dug it out of her pocket and glanced at the screen, sighing loudly in the quiet kitchen. She touched the button to answer it and brought the phone to her ear. "Hello, Mother."

"Emily, dear! So sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I only just got home from Monaco last night and got your email."

"It's alright, Mother. I should have contacted you sooner. I was waiting to tell you about my trip until I was positive it wouldn't be cancelled." The statement was half true. She hadn't been positive she would be able to make it to DC until a week before she'd left.

"Completely understandable with your line of work. I am hoping you could squeeze in dinner with me tonight. I leave tomorrow for Buenos Aires. Where are you staying? Does the hotel have a nice restaurant?"

"I'm happy to meet you but I'm not at a hotel. I'm staying with a friend." She wasn't particularly sure she wanted to meet her mother for dinner tonight. She was still confused about things with Rossi and it generally took quite a bit of pretention to deal with her mother. But she hadn't seen the woman since just after she'd returned to the BAU and probably wouldn't have a chance anytime in the foreseeable future.

"Oh? One of the members of your old team?"

She set her empty mug beside Rossi's in the sink and leaned against the counter. "Yes. David Rossi."

"The author? How lovely. He should join us of course."

He chose that moment to reappear in the kitchen, now fully dressed. He hitched an eyebrow up at her in silent question and she shook her head at him. "While I'm sure he'd appreciate your offer, I can't just make dinner plans for him without asking him first."

"So ask him, dear!"

"Hold on." She shoved her thumb over the microphone on the phone and looked at him. "It's my mother. She wants to have dinner with us tonight before she leaves town tomorrow."

His smile was relaxed. "Why not? I know you didn't get to see her before you left. It'll be nice." The poor sap obviously had no idea what he was in for.

Emily returned the phone to her ear. "We'd love to join you."

"Wonderful. Our usual place at, say, seven? I know it's a bit of a drive from Quantico to Arlington but I do enjoy a fondue."

"Sounds good. I have to go, Mother. We're just headed out to brunch. See you tonight." She barely waited for her mother's farewell before ending the call.

Rossi was standing directly in front of her now and she looked at him as she shoved her phone back into her pocket. "You didn't have to agree to that. My mother can be a pain in the ass."

He took her hand in his and squeezed gently. "You were going to go either way. At least this way you have me to distract her for you." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Now, let's get out of here. I'm starving."

She allowed him to lead her toward the door and decided that, no matter what, she was going to enjoy the day.

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AN: I know this ended up kind of long but if I'd left the whole morning bit for the next chapter it would have been entirely too short. Now, off to bed with me so I can make it through work tomorrow.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Once again Sebastian and the story decided to change direction on me without letting me know. I have no idea where the next couple of chapters are going before I take back over (because I love the ending in my head and I **will** get to write it.

MN: What's funny is she thinks that I have a clue. Newsflash: I don't!

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Emily looked up as the car came to a stop. Somehow she'd managed to lose herself completely in thought for the entire drive to Arlington and they were already in the parking lot of the fondue restaurant where she'd been meeting her mother for dinner for most of her adult life. The trip had flown by much like the rest of the day.

While she'd initially been concerned with awkwardness, Rossi had quickly dispelled those fears. He'd spent the day acting as though they were an established couple: feeding her bites of his food, sneaking bites of hers, holding her hand as they walked, wrapping his arms around her, kissing her. But through it all, he hadn't brought up the subject of "them" in conversation once, and she'd been eternally grateful for it.

Now, however, as me moved to open his door, she placed a hand on his arm to stop him. "Dave, about dinner and my mom being there and us…"

His gentle smile showed her he understood. "Don't worry. For the duration of the evening I am nothing but a friend and colleague." He patted her hand gently then opened his door and slid from the seat.

She took a deep breath then exited herself. A quick glance around the parking lot informed her that her mother was already there. A car near the door had government plates.

She allowed Rossi to hold the door for her and steer her inside and she scanned the dining room for the ambassador. As expected, her mother had secured them the same corner booth they usually occupied and she led the way across the room.

Elizabeth Prentiss rose to greet her daughter, hugging her and kissing her on the cheek before turning toward her guest and extended her hand. "Mr. Rossi, it's a pleasure to meet you."

As Emily shifted to the side, Rossi grasped her mother's hand and shook it firmly. "Please, call me Dave. And the pleasure is all mine, Ambassador."

"Elizabeth, please." She motioned at the half-oval booth beside her then sat at one side of it.

He helped Emily from her jacket and hung it on the hook by the booth before shedding his own. She chose to slide in to the furthest part of the table, guaranteeing she'd be between her mother and Rossi to act as a buffer. Once they were all seated a waiter appeared almost immediately with a wine list, but Emily waived him off. She and her mother knew the menu by heart, including the wine selection and the elder Prentiss quickly ordered a bottle of their usual off-dry Riesling to accompany their cheese and salad course.

Once the waiter had retreated, Emily could feel her mother's eyes focus back on her. "Now then, dear, bring me up to date on your life!"

The trio chatted idly over dinner. After being brought up to speed on Emily's life, Elizabeth shifted her focus to Rossi, questioning him about his work, both with the BAU and as an author. To his credit, he handled her nosiness with poise, never appearing to be bothered by the questioning.

As the chocolate fondue was cleared and they sipped glasses of Brachetto d'Acqui, however, the questioning turned downright intrusive. "So, Dave, I know from Emily that you aren't married, but surely there must be some woman out there that's uncomfortable that you're sharing your home with my daughter?" Somehow, Emily wasn't surprised that he managed to handle even that encroachment on his privacy elegantly. "Well, there is a woman, but she's not uncomfortable. And we're not at my home. That's in at Little Creek. We're staying at my condo while JJ's family wreaks havoc on my cabin." His answer seemed to satisfy the ambassador and she turned her sights on her daughter. "See, dear. It _is_ possible to do the kind of work you do and still maintain a relationship. Maybe your friend could give you some advice. It's really about time you settled down." If not for the gentle pressure of Rossi squeezing her knee beneath the table, Emily would have completely lost her temper at the comment. She took a deep breath then locked eyes with her mother. "My love life is none of your business, and you are not someone who I would accept help from in that department, Mother. How is Father, by the way? Still 'working' in the Caribbean with his 'secretary'?" The blow hit the mark and her mother's face tightened and darkened. "I don't think this is a conversation we need to be having in front of your friend, Emily." Before she could reply the waiter returned with the bill and Rossi wretched out his credit card and shoved it in the folder and practically tossed it back to the man. The waiter seemed to sense the unrest at the table and scrambled away to process the transaction. "Mother, I have no secrets from Dave. Besides, he's probably the best profiler in history. He could see through our bullshit before we sat down tonight." The look on Elizabeth's face was one of agony. Emily was attacking the one thing the woman care about above all else: her image. "You _will_ watch your language. I raised you better than that!" Emily was on a roll now and not about to stop. "My nannies raised me better than that, you mean. Let's get something straight: I am an adult. I run my life, not you. If and when I am ready to 'settle down' I will do so. Until then I will do how and _who _I please." She was spared her mother's outburst of reply by the return of the waiter. Rossi snatched the receipt from him and scribbled down a tip and signed then quickly slid from the booth, practically dragging Emily with him. "I think we can all agree that this meal is over. Thank you for your invitation, Ambassador. Enjoy your trip to Buenos Aires." Emily stood glaring at her mother for a moment then allowed Rossi to help her into her jacket and lead her out. She managed to hold her tongue until they were standing next to his car before exploding. "Congratulations, you've survived my mother, the bitch." Rossi placed a hand on the car door, preventing her from opening it. "Are you okay, Em?" She turned to face him and leaned back against the cool metal. "I've been having the same fight with her for years. I'm just pissed that she picked it with me in front of you. It wasn't fair." His fingers brushed her face lightly as he tucked her hair behind her ear. "No, it wasn't, but don't be offended on my behalf. I've dealt with worse from women like her." She leaned her head back, looking up at the stars, trying to calm her temper. "Thank you for coming with me. I can almost guarantee things would have gotten far uglier if I'd had to face her alone." He reached his hand out to her waist and tugged gently, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her in a soothing hug. "I don't know; I might have paid to see that. You're hot when you're pissed."

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They had talked casually as they had ridden back and the trip seemed short. Emily was still feeling restless after the blow up with her mother and wanted to vent some steam. When they pulled into the driveway and got out of the car, she turned away from the door and started walking.

In an instant he caught up to her and fell into step at her side. "Where are we going?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Just for a walk, I guess."

Silently, he took her hand in his. They wandered around his quiet neighborhood for nearly an hour. It was after 10 pm on a Sunday evening and most of the families that lived in the sprawling condominium community were already tucked into bed.

When they did finally walk through his front door, Emily was feeling better, but still not relaxed. Her mother's words had struck a nerve, particularly in light of her confusion over things with Rossi.

He seemed to sense her tension. "Hey, I saw you eyeing the tub when I gave you the grand tour. Why don't you go try it out? I think there's even some oils under the sink. Again with my housekeeper being on a mission to relax me."

Once again his tenderness touched her heart and she smiled. "That sounds fantastic. You're sure you don't mind?"

"Positive. I need to check my email, text my publisher back to remind her that I'm on vacation, and call Garcia to get the game plan for tomorrow." He brushed a light kiss across her lips then turned her toward the stairs and propelled her forward with a gentle shove.

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Emily sighed contentedly. The gentle pressure of the jets was doing wonders for the last bit of soreness in her muscles. That combined with the fragrance of the lavender and chamomile bath oil and the vanilla candles she'd lit near the tub had managed to ease the last of the tension remaining from the confrontation with her mother.

She was so focused on her own serenity that she didn't hear the bathroom door open and shut. In fact, she didn't notice Rossi at all until he spoke to her from his spot leaning against the vanity.

"Feeling better?"

She smiled at him and nodded lazily. "Much. Thank you. But, you know, this tub was built for two. Feels like a bit of a waste."

His signature grin crooked onto his lips as he straightened up. "Well, it would be a shame to waste a good bath."

She watched him as he undressed and crossed the space between the sink and tub. He stepped carefully into the water, sitting next to her. "Okay, maybe there is something to this relaxing thing."

She turned slightly to the side and moved her legs, laying her calves across his thighs. "You should try it more often."

He frowned for a moment and it worried her until she saw the sparkle in his eyes. "There's something not quite right thought." He pretended to ponder it for a moment then reached out and hauled her into his lap.

She leaned into him once she was settled and his arms came around her. "So, what's the itinerary for tomorrow?"

He nuzzled her neck as he spoke and the vibrations against her skin instantly turned her on. "Apparently Reid called 'dibbs' on you. Plus Morgan's family is still here, Hotch has a meeting, and JJ is driving relatives to airports. So I called _him_ and he wants to know if you're interested in spending the day at one of the Smithsonian museums, just the two of you."

"As long as you're okay with me abandoning you." She wiggled deliberately in his lap, grinning as she felt him harden beneath her.

"I'm sure I can amuse myself in a way that does not involve listening to the boy genius spew forth tedious amounts of facts for hours on end." His tongue snaked out from between his lips, licking a path from her shoulder up her neck to her ear.

Emily was instantly on fire from his touch and she shifted so that she could bring her face to his. "Let me give you a few more ideas for amusement." She hungrily pressed her lips against his, smiling as she once again felt him stiffen beneath her.

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AN: Sorry guys, I'm pretty sure this is a one smutty chapter story. Also, apologies for any errors. I was practically falling asleep proofreading this. And Sebastian fell asleep before dinner was over so the lack of vivid imagery can be blamed on that. I don't know that I will have another chapter done before Sunday night as tomorrow is one of my later shifts then I'm back in for a long shift early Saturday. But I shall try. I will guarentee that those of you who have reviewed but haven't gotten a reply yet will get one tomorrow if the site cooperates. Every time I try to go through and do it, the site seems to be down. Much love. Peace. Out.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Sorry guys, it's been a really rough weekend at work. It's currently Sunday but I don't think I will get this done tonight. I don't know that this one will be very long, but it's necessary to moving the story back in the direction I want it to go.

MN: Do any of you know what a combination of compost with manure, potting soil, and chicken feed smells like? Cause after this weekend, I do. And it's not pleasant. As for the story, this chapter is none of my doing. It's all her. I'm going to sleep.

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The rest of the week had flown by for Emily. She spent the days with her friends, sometimes until late in the evening. And she spent each night in Rossi's arms. They hadn't discussed what was happening at all with one another and were saved from any notice by the team by Morgan and Garcia's newly budding relationship. They had also kept their physical interactions to a minimum around the team, avoiding overt touching and abstaining from any kisses.

In private, their interactions ranged from caring and intimate to passionate and needy in bed. Out of bed, things were comfortable. They had managed to be able to exist fluidly in one another's space. They would cook together, or read snuggled up on the couch. They had spent one evening enjoying the sunset from the deck, Rossi stretched out on a chaise and Emily in his lap, and another dancing together when the team had gone out before returning to the condo and making love slowly all night.

It had quite possibly been the best week of her life. That thought had first crossed her mind on Wednesday. Now, on Saturday morning, she was even more sure of it.

As she carried her suitcase down the stairs, she fought the sadness settling over her. She was convinced now that coming home had been a bad idea. She was more homesick now than she had been before she'd left London. But she didn't belong here anymore. She hadn't when she'd come back before and she didn't now.

He was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. She'd expected that. He took her bag from her and carried it to the door. She'd expected that too. What she didn't expect was he did next. He set the bag out on the porch then closed the door and turned toward her.

In an instant she was in his arms, pulled tightly against him, lips pressed against his. When their mouths parted he brought his forehead to rest against hers. "Don't go."

She blinked back the tears stinging at her eyes and pulled away from him. Before she could decide on a response, two sharp horn blasts sounded outside. Garcia was there to take her to the airport. "I'm sorry Dave."

With those whispered words, she brushed past him and through the door. She managed to hold back her tears through the ride to the airport, the frustrating pass through security, and the boarding of the plane. Once the aircraft had taken off, however, she lost the battle and the tears came.

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Aaron took a while to enjoy the peace and quiet penetrating his home. JJ, Will, and Henry had left the day before, the water to their home restored. As a thanks for his hospitality, they had offered to take Jack for the night. He'd jumped at the opportunity for a night alone with Beth, but her plans had changed suddenly and she hadn't been able to make it in for the weekend.

Now, sitting in his empty home, he felt lonely. Pocketing his cell phone and grabbing his keys, he exited the house and got in his car. He wasn't entirely sure where he was going until he found himself turning on to Rossi's street. His gut was telling him to check in on his friend, and he didn't know why.

He parked his car behind his friend's in the driveway and strode up to the door, knocking twice sharply. He heard a shuffling inside then the door opened to reveal the condo's owner, and he looked like hell. "What's wrong, Dave?"

The words had come out of his mouth before his inner profiler could even kick in. Now, as he waited for a reply, he assessed the situation. Rossi's eyes were rimmed red and bloodshot, his usually sleek hair was mussed, his dark t-shirt spotted with salt marks, likely from crying, and a glass of scotch in his hand.

"Go away Aaron."

Acting quickly he stuck his foot in the door just in time to prevent Rossi from slamming it in his face. With a sigh, his friend wretched the door back open and stormed away in the direction of his living room. Aaron stepped into the condo, closing the door softly behind himself and following Rossi. The man was already sulking in his armchair when Aaron entered the room. He took a moment to pour himself a drink then sat opposite his longtime friend.

"You have two choices, Dave. You can tell me what's going on or I can profile you. I'll even call the team in if I need to."

He stared across the coffee table for several long moments before sipping his drink then shrugging. "Have it your way then. I'm pretty sure it's a woman. Few things can upset you this much and women are most of them. And since you're sulking and drinking I'm going to just take a leap here and say that things are not going well. What happened, Dave? You fell asleep and she fell in love?"

The one thing Aaron hadn't expected after all their year of friendship was for Rossi to explode. The man rarely lost his temper, but now he slammed his glass down on the table so hard Aaron was surprised it didn't shatter. He launched himself from his chair and prowled back and forth behind it as he spoke.

"No, Aaron. This time **I** am the one who fell in love. But she apparently doesn't feel the same way!"

His heart broke for his friend. He hadn't even known Rossi was seeing someone, let alone that it had been that serious. "How do you know that? Did you even tell her how you feel?"

Rossi stopped pacing and spun to face him. "I didn't even get the chance. She left. I asked her to stay and she left again."

The realization of who he was talking about slapped Aaron in the face. His best friend was in love with Emily Prentiss? When had that happened? _How_ had that happened? "Dave, sit down. I think you need to tell me the whole story here."

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It was just after 7am local time on Sunday when Emily landed in London. She had slept on the plane, albeit fitfully, and had every intention of staying awake for the day to force her sleep cycle to readjust. She retrieved her suitcase from the baggage area and headed for the door.

One of her subordinates had offered to pick her up. She had been a little shocked at the man's offer, but had accepted it gratefully. When she breezed through the doors of Heathrow Airport, however, it was not Wilkinson who was waiting, but rather Clyde. She dragged her bag over to where he was waiting by her own Interpol SUV. "You're not who I was expecting."

He simply shrugged at her before taking her bag and lifting it into the back seat. "I had Wilkinson out all of yesterday on assignment. Figured I could pick you up so he could sleep in."

She opened the passenger side door of the vehicle and climbed in, sinking into the seat. She knew better than to ask Clyde to let her drive. He definitely preferred to be in control. "Well, that was nice of you. Very uncharacteristic if you ask me."

He laughed as he buckled in next to her. "Such a comedian, Emily. You hungry? Because I could go for breakfast. I haven't gotten to have breakfast at that little café near your flat in years. They have a wonderful fry up and they make their biscuits from scratch."

She'd intended to decline the invitation, but her stomach growled, giving her away. She hadn't felt like eating on the plane and breakfast the previous morning had long since been out of her system. "Sure."

"Great." He merged into the sparse Sunday morning traffic. "So, how was DC?"

Emily stared blankly out of the window, not focusing on the passing city as they drove. "It was fine. The party went off smoothly, despite JJ's mother's meddling." She had told her friend about Sandy Jareau when she'd made her leave request.

Clyde smiled. "Oh? Did she manage to successfully get you and Morgan together this time?"

She snorted out a laugh. "Hell no! But in the course of trying to get her off our backs we did manage to get Morgan and Garcia together."

After that they had slipped into silence as they drove to the café he had mentioned. After nearly a year living in her flat, she had never stopped there for anything but jam and coffee, but it always smelled delicious in the morning.

The food was delicious and they had chatted amicably as they'd eaten, but Emily's heart wasn't in it. She had known Clyde for a long time, but he just wasn't the same level of friend as her BAU team. Her heart ached already for missing them.

They rode the few blocks to her flat in silence and he insisted on seeing her to her door. When they were inside, she expected him to leave quickly, but he surprised her yet again. "What's wrong, Emily?"

She turned to look at him, arching her eyebrow up. "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired from the flight."

"No you're not. Look, I know I can be a piss-poor excuse for a friend sometimes, but I know you. There is something going on that you haven't told me. Did something happen while you were in the States?"

Emily sighed heavily and turned to pet Sergio on his perch on the back of a chair. "Yes. Something happened. But I don't want to talk about it."

Clyde strode past her into the living room and plopped on the couch. "Well too bad. I'm not going anywhere until you do."

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AN: I know that was terribly angsty. But entirely necessary for the ending I want. Also, I needed to continue having a POV in DC, but didn't want to go the classic route of writing the two sides of the love story, so I did something I haven't done before and wrote as Hotch. Please let me know how I did. I am going to start the next chapter tonight and it will be up sometime tomorrow. I know it doesn't seem like we're almost there, but I think there's going to be 2 more chapters and maybe an epilogue to wrap it all up. Thanks for your continued reviews! We love them!


	9. Chapter 9

AN: So, my bestie, JenJen, is all up on my case to get another chapter up. I mean seriously, within an hour of chapter 8 being up she was making noise about "more". Fine woman, here ya go!

MN: I like JenJen. She's on my side. Alas, this chapter is also all AJ. But the next one, that one is MINE!

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Aaron Hotchner threw open the door to his friend's office hard, without knocking. He'd had enough. He stormed inside and slammed the door behind him, also hard. As expected, the agent sitting behind the desk looked up, surprised. Aaron simply crossed the room and placed his hands on the desk, leaning over. "That's it. I'm done. Consider yourself on vacation for a couple of days while you pull your head out of your ass, Dave."

"Go to hell, Aaron." The elder agent looked back down at the report open on his desk.

"No." The single word made Rossi look back up at him. "You can take a few days and figure things out, or I can suspend you and you can spend a week with the bureau psychiatrist. Your choice."

"Why?"

He had fully expected Rossi to play ignorant. "Why? Because I just spent the last two hours cleaning up your path of destruction through my team! Morgan is ready to tear your head off, Reid is doubting himself in a way he hasn't since before you joined the team, it took me 30 minutes to get Garcia to open the door to her office, Blake tried to request a transfer and you left JJ in tears."

Rossi shrugged casually and leaned back in his chair. "Morgan has a short fuse. Reid needs to learn how the real world works. Garcia needs to learn how to prioritize. Blake needs to realize that I'm better than she is at this. And JJ needs to think like an agent, not a mother."

"Are you even listening to yourself? You just insulted what you love most about each member of the team! Morgan's passion; Reid's innocence; Garcia's whimsy; Blake's work ethic; JJ's humanity. And this is not open for debate. Go home or I will have you removed." With that, Aaron straightened and spun on his heel, slamming the door once again on his way out for good measure.

As he settled back in his own office he sighed heavily. The last couple of days had been torture for Rossi. He was heartbroken and that wasn't something he was used to dealing with. But he didn't need to be taking it out on his friends. His family.

Twenty minutes later, he heard Rossi's office door open, then close. At least he'd followed orders for once. It was only 11am. He'd give the man until the end of the day to cool off and stop by after dinner.

He hadn't once mentioned Emily's name since Aaron had left his house late Saturday night. Even when the team was discussing Friday's barbeque, he'd avoided speaking about her. He needed to deal with his emotions.

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The fact that Clyde had stayed around after her return to London was beginning to wear on Emily's nerves. For some reason, ever since their Sunday morning discussion, he had seemed to take her emotional well-being on as his personal mission.

The truth was, she was a far cry from emotionally well. She was a wreck. She wasn't sleeping, the nightmares having returned in full force. She had little desire to eat, but forced down what she knew she needed to survive.

She missed Rossi. She missed the team and DC as well, but mostly she missed him. It wasn't the sex. She'd gone far longer periods without than four and a half days. It was the emotional connection. The companionship. She missed just being with him.

She had lied to Clyde. She hadn't "developed feelings" for David Rossi. She was in love with him. But for her, existing as someone's companion just wasn't enough. She had to be making a difference or she just didn't feel complete.

That was why she had returned to London. She didn't belong at the BAU anymore. She had nowhere to exist in Virginia. No one to be.

The only member of the team she'd spoken to since her return to England had been Garcia. She'd called the woman to let her know she'd made it in okay. And Garcia had immediately asked her what was wrong, just as she'd done in the car on the way to the airport. The technical analyst should really consider a career as a profiler; she had great natural skills at reading people.

She'd shrugged the question off, of course. Blamed the odd tone in her voice to jetlag instead of the stress of her conversation with Clyde. She had lied to her best friend.

And now she was standing in the bathroom of her office, essentially hiding from her boss and friend. She knew he was looking for her. She'd lost her temper with the new operative on her team, causing the man to threaten his resignation before Clyde had stepped in. She'd been banished to "calm herself down" twenty minutes ago. But here she stood, feeling no more peaceful.

She glanced at the bathroom door then back at her reflection in the mirror. Clyde was just going to have to wait.

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As it rang, Aaron lifted his cell phone to read the display.

E. PRENTISS, BUSINESS

The call was from Emily's office. He quickly pressed the button to answer, relieved that she was finally returning his call. "Emily. I'm glad you…"

He was cutoff. "Actually, Agent Hotchner, this is Clyde Easter."

Aaron was slightly taken aback. He definitely hadn't been expecting that. "Hello." The single word was all that he could force out in his shock.

"Look, I know you all don't think very highly of me, but this isn't about me. I'm calling because of Emily. And if my instincts are right, we have a mutual problem."

He rose from his chair and crossed to his office door. He'd left it slightly ajar, a symbol to his team that they were welcome to enter, but now he closed it. "I'm listening."

A heavy sigh was followed by a pause before Easter spoke again. "Look, I'm not good with all of this interpersonal crap. Bottom line: Emily's a wreck. She's lost it over this Rossi guy. I've known her for fourteen years and I've never seen her like this."

Aaron sighed himself. He should have figured Prentiss was taking things about as well as Rossi was. "You're right. We are in the same boat. He's out of control. I had to send him home earlier. He managed to ostracize every member of the team, plus a few members of brass. I guess the question is, what can we do?"

"I may not be good with relationships, but plans: those I have a knack for."

Aaron found himself smiling for the first time that week. "You have my attention."

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Aaron pounded on the heavy door for a third time. "Open the door, Dave. I have a key, and I will use it."

He heard the lock unlatch and took that as an invitation, entering Rossi's "cabin". He found the man once again in his living room. Once again he had a glass of scotch in one hand. Unlike last time, though, he held a framed picture in his other hand. He moved just close enough to see the photograph. The picture was of the team, pre-Blake.

_It had been taken the Christmas before Prentiss had left. They had all met here, at the Cabin, for dinner. Garcia had been the shutterbug that night, but somehow Beth had gotten her hands on the camera after dinner. Her suggestion for a team-only picture had been met with total agreement and she had shooed them together quickly. Once they were situated, the picture had been taken._

_Only then did Beth point out they were all gathered under the mistletoe. She had taken over a dozen pictures of the ensuing chaos._

The picture in Rossi's hand was one Aaron couldn't remember having seen. In it Morgan was kissing Garcia's nose, he and Reid were each kissing one of JJ's cheeks, and, behind them, a grinning Prentiss and Rossi had their closed lips gently pressed together.

With a shake of his head, Aaron moved fully into the room. He pulled the envelope Garcia had handed him from his inside jacket pocket and dropped it on Dave's lap.

"That better not be an order to see the shrink. Because I left like you ordered."

Aaron shook his head. "It's not. It's a chance." With that he turned and walked out.

As he climbed back into his SUV and turned the ignition, he simply hoped that his friend would take the opportunity he'd just given him.

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AN: With that, it is bedtime. And I just want to state for the record, I just hashed out 3000 words in 8 total hours, about 4 hours of (not constant) writing, all because JenJen is a pushy brat. So for once, if there are any mistakes, I'm calling them her fault.

MN: Seriously though: We love our JenJen.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: JenJen and Sebby have now ganged up on me. I don't think I'm going to finish this tonight (Tuesday) but I will get it (and likely the Epilogue) up tomorrow. I'm hoping inspiration strikes me again for this pairing because I totally love it.

MN: FINALLY! My turn! This is the stuff that I love! Fluff city!

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Emily slammed her car door harder than was necessary. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she walked toward her building, still fuming over her conversation with Clyde an hour ago.

"_You're out of control, Emily."_

_She had pushed past him to close her office door. "What are you talking about? These guys are better than making stupid mistakes. They deserved to be reprimanded. We almost lost our suspect because they didn't check their emails or bother to give the locals mine!"_

"_They screwed up. I know. But you tore them both new ones in front of thirty members of various law enforcement agencies. Your emotions are affecting your judgment. Finish your report and go home. Take tomorrow and the weekend. Get your head straight. We can talk Monday morning."_

That had been the end of the conversation. Now, as she climbed the stairs to her flat, she wondered if she even wanted to go back. Clyde had been right. She was out of control. Mentally and emotionally. Her judgment was clouded by her feelings. By what had happened in DC.

She unlocked her door and stepped in and immediately bristled. Her hall light was on. She distinctly remembered turning it off on her way out that morning. She set her bag down gently and drew her Glock, leveling it as she moved into the apartment. She quickly cleared both the living room and the kitchen before moving into the hall.

The bathroom door was open, making the room simple to assess. It too was empty. Her bedroom door was mostly closed. She took a calming breath then nudged the door with her foot sweeping both her eyes and her weapon as it swung open.

When her eyes landed on her bed she nearly dropped the gun in surprise. It only took a moment for her to recover, her surprise replaced with irritation. "What the hell? I almost shot you!"

David Rossi grinned at her in response. "You're too good for that. Your mind works too fast."

She holstered her gun and leaned against the doorframe. "What are you doing here?"

He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, disturbing Sergio who had been sleeping next to him. "I think we need to have a conversation."

"They make these things called phones. Wonderful things really. Capable of letting you talk to someone on the other side of the planet. Or there's a marvelous invention called the internet. With that you can even see someone." She knew her words were sharp, but he had no right to invade her space. She was trying to clear her mind of him and now he was here, relaxing in her bed.

She turned and walked back through the flat, returning to the still open door and closing it, clicking the lock into place. Her routine had been disturbed and she completed it now. She dropped her keys in the dish on the sideboard, set her holster next to it, and shrugged out of her jacket. She hung the coat on the hook next to the door and walked into the kitchen.

Sergio wound himself around her ankles and meowed lightly. "Sorry buddy, it's not dinner time yet. I'm just early."

"And why, exactly, are you early?" He had, apparently, followed her.

She started a pot of coffee. With the case she'd been working, she hadn't gotten to have any that morning and now, just after lunchtime, she was starting to feel the headache setting in. "Why does it matter?"

She moved to exit the kitchen but he shifted in the doorway, blocking her in. "You're home at 1pm on a Thursday afternoon. You always leave your go bag in the office during the week, but you brought yours home, indicating you won't be going in tomorrow. And five minutes before you got here, the landline rang and Clyde left you a message telling you to think about what he said. My guess is you and I are in the same boat."

"What are you talking about?" She was getting aggravated and made sure the emotion came through in her voice.

"You lasted longer than I did. Hotch kicked me out of the BAU yesterday morning. Threatened to send me to the bureau shrink if I didn't go quietly."

Aggravation gave way to complete frustration and she shifted into his personal space, narrowing her eyes at him. "Why are you in my apartment? Why are you in London? And what the _hell_ are you talking about?"

His eyes met hers, returning her stare. "You really don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?"

He simply stared at her for a minute before he grabbed her, hauling her body against his and bringing his mouth crushing down on hers. He kissed her senseless. By the time he pulled back her lungs were burning from oxygen and she was even more confused than she had been before.

As he pressed his forehead against hers, she struggled to even out her breathing. "I still don't get it. You came all the way to London to kiss me?"

She felt him shake his head before he pulled back. She opened her eyes to meet him and was startled by the depth of the emotions she saw swirling there. "No. I came all the way to London to tell you that I need you in my life, Emily."

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"You're absolutely sure about this?" Leave it to Rossi to question her actions even when he was getting exactly what he wanted.

Emily crossed the living room and sat in his lap. She made sure he was staring directly into her eyes before she answered. "I'm sure. It gives me the best of every world. I get to be a liaison between Interpol and various LEOs in DC. I get to consult with the BAU. And, most importantly, I get to be with you and the team."

"I just want to be sure that you're doing this because it's what _you_ want. I want you to be happy, Emily. And, if you leave again, it _will_ kill me." He wrapped his arms around her hips tightly, possessively.

The look in his eyes left her with no doubt that he was serious. Which was good, because she was pretty sure that leaving again would kill her too. "I'm very sure, Dave."

He still looked unsettled, and she couldn't blame him. She had found him in her bedroom less than a full day ago and she generally didn't make life altering decisions this quickly. "And Clyde is okay with this?"

Emily nodded. "It was his idea, actually. Apparently he had a long chat with our favorite Unit Chief and they worked out this little plan together. By Monday the Interpol paperwork will be filed. They work faster than the Bureau. I could be home within a few weeks. By the time I get settled, the FBI paperwork that Hotch has already started should have gone through to allow me to consult for the team."

His lips twitched into his signature half smile. "Remind me to send Clyde a bottle of Scotch. A really nice one. And do Aaron's paperwork for a month."

A smile spread on her own face and she laughed lightly. "I don't know about a month. I would like to actually get to see you if I'm coming home."

The smile disappeared from his face and his eyebrows knitted. "When you _do_ come home, are you going to find an apartment, or would you stay with me?"

Emily chewed her lip. "I don't know. This is a lot at once. I guess I feel like we may need to work up to it."

They sat in silence for a moment before his smile returned. "You could stay at the condo for a while and I'll stay at the Cabin when I'm in town. It would give us time to figure things out."

As always, his smile was contagious. "Sounds good. Speaking of time, how much do we have? Before you have to go back, I mean."

Rossi shrugged. "I still have about three weeks of vacation sitting on the books. How long do you want me?"

Emily decided to forego the sexual comment that crossed her mind and settled for a serious answer. "I'd like to tell you to stay until I'm ready to go, but there are things I have to get taken care of here. Stay the weekend?"

"I'll call Garcia and ask her to set my return flight for Monday." He pulled her tightly against him and dipped his head, pressing a kiss to her neck. "What exactly is it you have planned for this weekend?"

Emily shifted her weight in his lap, deliberately rubbing herself against the growing bulge in his pants. "I'm sure we could find some way to pass the time."

Before she could tease him any further, his mouth covered hers. Moments later, he stood, lifting her in his arms and moving toward the bedroom. Her fingers worked the buttons of his shirt as they moved. If she only had two and a half days to spend with him, she planned to make every moment of her weekend count.

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Aaron smiled to himself as he signed the last sheet of paper in the file open before him. He may have had issues with Clyde Easter in the past, but he'd really come through for Prentiss this time. In a matter of weeks she would be back in Virginia where she belonged, and by the end of summer she would be officially consulting on BAU cases.

He had entertained the thought of begging her to come back full time, but he quickly realized that was a bad move. This job could sometimes become too much for a person to take, and Emily had reached that place.

He understood how it had happened. As their only female profiler for years, she'd had to take point on interviewing rape victims, wives of serial killers, and abused children. Without a way to let it all out, it had built up inside of her. Then she'd been on the run from Ian Doyle, and that had changed her. It had changed them all. And she had gone through it alone. And the year she'd been back had been a rough one on all of them.

Finally, she had handled all she could by herself.

His eyes settled on the picture of Jack on his desk and he smiled. His son was how he coped with what he saw every day. And Garcia was how Morgan coped. And teaching for Blake; Henry for JJ. Rossi had reached his point for a lack of a coping mechanism once before and he'd retired. Now that he had Prentiss in his life, Aaron fully expected him to psychologically outlast the rest of them.

Closing the file, he pushed back from his desk and stood. He could send the paperwork through inner office mail, but this was one batch of paperwork he wanted to hand deliver. As he exited his office, he turned the light off. He was done for the night. It was Friday, he was in town, Jack was waiting for him, and Beth was on her way. He planned on enjoying every moment of his weekend with them.

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AN: I am so very sorry. I know I promised people that this would be up last night or even earlier, but life intervened. Mom had a lousy day at work so I agreed to accompany her to her play practice an hour away to help her dig through the costume loft. Just before we left we got a frantic call from my sister-in-law about the baby bunny she rescued from becoming her dog's morning snack so when we got back to town (at 9:30 pm) we stopped for kitten milk and a syringe, swung by and picked up the bunny, and spent an hour convincing the poor thing to eat 3 mL of the milk. This morning I had to get up early and repeat the feeding process (got about 4 mL in him) so I didn't have time to write before leaving for work. Then when I got home from work I had to feed him again (5.5 mL this time!) and watch last night's new CM. So again, very sorry this is late.

MN: Let me tell ya, the bunny is cute enough for it to be worth the wait for this folks! Anyway, we've just got the Epilogue to go to wrap it up. We promise to have that to you by Saturday night so long as the little bunbun keeps doing alright.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Sorry I didn't get this up last night. We lost our little bunny (he was just too young to be orphaned and his heart couldn't take it) and I was in no mood to write fluff. Hope you guys enjoy this last bit of Fluff. Next story will be NCIS because JenJen says so.

MN: I wasn't in the mood to write last night either. But hopefully this makes up for it. I was wanting to write this from PG's POV but JenJen wanted Rossi and AJ liked the idea.

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It was nearly 3am when Dave let himself into his cabin. He shut the door quietly and gently set his go bag down next to the small table beside it. His keys were gingerly placed in the dish as opposed to his normal toss, trying to minimize the noise he was making. He slid off his shoes and placed them on the rack then padded through the house.

He was at the foot of the stairs when he met Mudgie. The dog nuzzled his hand briefly before moving toward the kitchen. "Some watch dog you are." He kept his mumble low, determined not to wake Emily. She wasn't expecting him home until the next afternoon.

The case had been a fairly easy one for their line of work. They had been called in after the abduction of a third woman in a remote area of Iowa. Garcia had easily managed to link the three victims' lives and their common gym combined with the profile had made the UNSUB simple to identify. They had managed to take him down with no loss of life and the trio of women were unharmed, simple having been held captive.

He'd called Emily after the take down to let her know he was safe. It had quickly become a pattern over the last year. As soon as the UNSUB was in cuffs and anyone who needed it had seen the EMTs, he would call her. At the same time Morgan would dial Garcia, Hotch would text both Jessica and Beth, and JJ would quickly connect with Will and Henry via Skype. Lately even Reid had had a call to make. Blake would simply send a quick email to her husband, his work and the time difference generally making any other way of connecting without a plan impossible.

These days they all had a reason to rush home. So they'd collectively decided to stay at the local police station to finish up the interview and paperwork so they could take off that night. They had all finished up their bureau reports on the jet and Blake had volunteered to take it inside and submit it all so the rest of the team could head straight out from the parking garage.

Now, as he climbed the stairs, Dave smiled to himself. He had never really rushed home from work before. Through his three marriages he'd maintained his workaholic ways. Now, a year into their relationship, Emily still had him longing to return to her, even when he was in town and they were seeing one another nightly.

They had lived separately when she returned for all of two weeks. After his first case out of town, he'd found her at the cabin. Now they had a well-established routine. They would spend weeknights at the condo and retreat to the cabin for the weekends. She would hold to the pattern even when he was gone making it easy for him to know where to go when he got home.

Once inside their bedroom, he quickly stripped down to his boxers, dumping his rumpled clothes into the basket in the closet. He hadn't turned on a light and he nearly tripped on Mudgie as he moved to his side of the bed. He nudged the dog out of the way then pealed back the covers and slid under them.

"I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow?" He voice was slightly slurred with sleep.

He shook his head. Not once had he ever managed to make it into bed without her waking, and this was no exception. "It is tomorrow."

She turned toward him and he slid his arms around her. "You just couldn't wait to see me, huh?"

"Precisely." He pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss then tucked her tightly against his chest. "Go back to sleep, Cara."

She shifted against him, fitting herself comfortably against him. "Mmmk. Love you."

A smile once again spread on his lips. "I love you too."

Her breathing evened out again quickly and Dave took the opportunity to enjoy the feeling of her body against his. His hand skimmed up and down on the light tank top covering her back for a few minutes before he moved to gently kiss the top of her head.

He closed his eyes, surrendering to sleep, content holding the woman he loved.

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AN: There ya go. Short, I know, but I felt like it ended perfectly there.

MN: Yeah, what she said. Thanks for hanging on for the ride!


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